Effect of miR-122 expression on liver cancer stem cells properties

• Project/Area Number: 26860513
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: MIUMA Satoshi 長崎大学, 病院(医学系), 助教 (30437892)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
• Keywords: 肝細胞癌 / miR-122 / 癌幹細胞 / 肝癌 / 幹細胞 / CD44 / 肝癌幹細胞 / sphere形成 / microRNA122

Outline of Final Research Achievements

MicroRNA-122 (miR-122), a highly abundant and liver-specific miRNA, plays important role in liver disease. In this study, we elucidated the effect of miR-122 on liver cancer stem cells. MiR-122 overexpression decreased the ratio of hepatoma cells positive for CD44, but not other cancer stem cells surface marker, in flow-cytometry analysis. In addition, miR-122 overexpression induced lower proliferation of hepatoma cells positive for CD44. miR-122 may be a target for liver cancer stem cell therapy.